UNEMPLOYED ORGANISATION

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22111, 5 June 1937, Page 20

UNEMPLOYED ORGANISATION

I TO CUB EDITOR OF THE PRESS Sir—Mr Yates—rny compliment to Ids contempt for anonymity—having discovered that I have convened a meeting for Saturday. June 5, of the men and women concerned to form a political non-partisan organisation, with the object of mutual aid and the advancement of material conditions, feels compelled to warn prospective members against the political nonpartisan basis proposed, I am going to show that this warning is superfluous, as his objections have no weight By the political activity of the unemployed I mean public collective endeavour in their own interests. I have always held that such endeavour should dp guided by science and the practical sagacity of the rank and file. What Comrane Yates calls common sense. Now in my experience of responsible leadership among unemployed, winch is much greater and more intimate than Mr Yates's, I came to the conclusion that partisan wrangles on the floor of meetings confused, irritated, and neglected the immediate interests of the unemployed. I therefore advocated non-partisanship, so that the organisation should be able to invoke its constitution such abuses of the “misery and anxiety of the unemployed,” with the assistance oi an alert rank and file, we partially succeeded (vide Canterbury Unemployment Workers’ Association), but were finally compelled by factional pressure to acknowledge a national partisan concentration: the Unemployed Workers’ Movement. Non-partisanship means the restriction or liquidation of party doctrinaire propaganda and a free field for science, common sense, and humble devotion to the cause. On the other hand I .am proud to think that Mr Yates noticed my advocacy and practice of risky militancy. The militancy of the masses of the unemployed everywhere was the cause of the last Government’s finding £5,000,000 a year for relief, and a main factor in that Government's removal from office. How can he look his fellow-workers in the face and profess to regret militant activities that were approved and participated in by present Cabinet Ministers? Does he want a deliberate return to apathy, servility, and mendicancy?— Yours, etc. SID FOURNIER. June 3, 1937. TO THE EDITOE Or THE PRESS. Sir, —I desire to endorse the majority of the remarks of criticism respecting the formation of the organisation sponsored bv Mr Sid Fournier, as contained in Mr Harry J. Yates’s letter in "The Press” yesterday. Mr Fournier knows too well that this is another "blind alley” stunt of his which loads the unfortunate men nowhere. "Nonpartisan” and to be affiliated with the Alliance of Labour—what nonsense! He knows perfectly -well that affiliation will

not be accepted. He has tried it before an The”only organisation of unemployed and sustenance men recognised to-day’ in New Zealand is the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement, which is accepted by the Government, and every town of any consequence in New Zealand has a ! branch. National headquarters are in Wellington, where the nominated icprc sentative is recognised by the Minister and officer in charge ol the bureau This organisation has already done gt eat and appreciated work on behalf of the ployed, but truly that is not enough What is the matter with the Christchurch branch of the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement. once a very body, but now apparently defunct. Th - is the only town of consequence in . Zealand that does not possess a live body . W l, y ilke J. Yates issue a warnunemployed are not getting their measure of attention, and never will wh - being misled by some individuals. I sei ously suggest the only actKjn fQr th m - either the resurrection of the Nation Uemployed Workers’ Christ church branch.-which has B approved policy, or to link up with th--_ local branches of the New Zealand L bou Party and effect their remedies m a tutional manner. If the Government then falls to continue to acknowledge ifs rc sensibilities, then the road to remedy is clear and can be adopted with a cica* conscience. Yours, KEARSJLEY . June 3, 1937.